Van der Poel (right) in front of Van Aert at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, Namur, 2015.

The cycling rivalry between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel is considered among the greatest and longest lasting rivalries in the sport,^[1] being contemporaries and contesting each other for the first time when they were both 8 years old.^[2]They raced each other for the first time in a major event in the 2012 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships – Men's junior race and continuously since October 2013, originally in cyclo-cross and as their ambitions grew further also in the road racing discipline. The supporters of both riders, the Belgian media and later worldwide sports journalists began comparing one another regarding track record, racing style and personality.^[3]

Van Aert was born in September 1994 and Van der Poel in January 1995. Van Aert is from Belgium and has been riding for Team Visma–Lease a Bike since 2019. Van der Poel is from the Netherlands and rides for Alpecin–Deceuninck. Both were born and raised in the cycling heartland of Flanders though and in both cyclo-cross and road racing they have won various similar races and achieved various similar milestones. In cyclo-cross, Van Aert has often been the better racer on heavy courses in the mud whereas Van der Poel is better on punchy courses and known for his last lap attacks.^[4]On the road, Van Aert has proved himself many times being the better time trialist, climber and mass sprinter whereas Van der Poel is the better puncheur and classics specialist.^[5]

Background

Van der Poel grew up in a true cycling family, having an older brother, David van der Poel, who is also a professional cyclist. His father Adri is a six-times National Champion and became World Cyclocross Champion in 1996. He was also twice a stage winner at the Tour de France and a winner of several Classics during his career, such as the 1986 Tour of Flanders and the 1988 Liège–Bastogne–Liège. His grandfather is Raymond Poulidor, nicknamed The Eternal Second,^[6] winner of the 1961 Milan–San Remo, 1964 Vuelta a España and a five time runner up at the Tour de France. Van Aert grew up in a non-cycling family, although his father's cousin Jos van Aert was a Dutch professional cyclist who rode together in the Collstrop Cycling Team with Adri van der Poel in 1994.^[7]

Quotes

• Van Aert in 2014 on the absence of Van der Poel in the U23 Cyclo-cross European Championships: "The absent are always in the wrong".”^[8]
• Van Aert in 2015 on his loss against Van der Poel in the Cyclo-cross World Championships: “I don't think I won silver. I lost gold. I think I can say that I was the best man in the race but that doesn't buy me anything." About Van der Poel: "He's a nice world champion. He'll show the jersey all year long.”^[9]
• Van Aert in 2016 after beating Van der Poel at the Cyclo-cross World Championships: “I have to thank him. Because I got stuck in his wheel I finally got into my rhythm. Merci Mathieu." As for the way Van der Poel wilted: "It's in my character never to give up. I don't race to sit up after five laps.“^[10]
• Van der Poel in 2017 on Niels Albert insisting Adri van der Poel designed the Cyclo-cross World Championships course in favour of Van der Poel: "When Wout became world champion in Hoogerheide on the course that my father had set, I didn't hear anyone! Always complaining. Wanker.”
• Adri van der Poel in 2018 on Van Aert dominating during the Cyclo-cross World Championships: “If the difference is two minutes, that is not normal. He rides around, but he does not breathe. With all due respect, Wout does not even stand in the shadow of Mathieu in terms of victories this season.”^[11]
• Van der Poel in 2020: “It's really important that I have someone pushing my limits, and I do the same with him as well – we make each other stronger. I think we’ve had some really good battles in the past, and it starts to be a story of its own, and you see that it's getting bigger than the sport itself. It's pretty cool to have someone like him, and it also benefits me.”^[12]
• Van Aert in 2021 on his loss against Van der Poel in the 2020 Tour of Flanders: “I would have preferred to have been beaten by Alaphilippe. I would have slept more easily that night. I keep turning that over for three nights, certainly because it was Mathieu who had won. We'll never change. This rivalry has made us who we are and it's not finished.” ^[13]

'Big Three'

Throughout the years some riders were compared to Van Aert and Van der Poel, completing a so-called 'Big Three'. In cyclo-cross, Tom Pidcock, a multi-disciplined rider himself, was part of the Big Three since 2021. He never reached frequent wins in a cyclo-cross season and often ended on one of the lower podium spots. However, he became World Cyclo-cross Champion in the Van Aert-Van der Poel era, in 2022, however both of them were not present in that race.

On the road, Van Aert and Van der Poel are often named in a Top Three in several lists of best classic racers. In 2020 and 2021 both Julian Alaphilippe, Van Aert and Van der Poel were at the top of their game as to the Classics. It would have come down to a three-horse battle in the final of the 2020 Tour of Flanders, if it weren't for the fall of Alaphilippe due to a motor cycle. In 2022 and 2023 the biggest contender of the 'Big Two' in Classics was Tadej Pogačar. He battled with Van der Poel in both the 2022 Tour of Flanders and 2023 Tour of Flanders and stood on the podium with Van Aert and Van der Poel in the 2023 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race.

Cyclo-cross

Novices

In the Novice ranks not many races were contested between the pair; 6 in 2009.^[14][15]Van der Poel had the better results in all cyclo-cross races they contested together. Van der Poel remained in the Novice ranks in the 2010-2011 season as Van Aert moved to the Junior ranks that cyclo-cross season.^[16][17]

Races contested together

Year and race	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2009 Horendonk	Van der Poel	Van Aert 6th
2009 Erpe-Mere	Van der Poel	Van Aert 6th
2009 Kessel	Van der Poel	Van Aert 5th
2009 Zwijndrecht	Van der Poel	Van Aert 5th
2009 Gavere	Van der Poel	Van Aert 10th
2009 Koksijde	Van der Poel	Van Aert 6th

Juniors

In the Junior category only in the 2011-2012 season Van Aert and Van der Poel raced together as Van Aert switched to the Under-23 ranks a year prior to Van der Poel. At the 2012 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships – Men's junior race in Koksijde, it was Van der Poel who claimed his first world title, defeating Van Aert by eight seconds.^[18]

Races contested together

Year and race	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2011 Erpe-Mere	Van der Poel	Van Aert 4th
2011 Kalmthout	Van der Poel	Van Aert 4th
2011 Ruddervoorde	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2011 Tábor	Van der Poel	Van Aert 7th
2011 Hamme	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2011 Gavere	Van der Poel	Van Aert 4th
2011 Koksijde	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2011 Gieten	Van der Poel	Van Aert 4th
2011 Diegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2011 Loenhout	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2012 Liévin	Van der Poel	Van Aert 20th
2012 Hoogerheide	Van der Poel	Van Aert 5th
2012 Lille	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2012 Hoogstraten	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2012 Middelkerke	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2012 Oostmalle	Van der Poel	Van Aert

UCI Men's Junior Cyclo-cross World Championships

Year and category	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2012 Junior	Van der Poel	Van Aert

UEC Men's Junior Cyclo-cross European Championships

Year and category	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2011 Junior	Van der Poel	Van Aert 4th

Under-23

In the 2012-2013 season, Van Aert had been going through a growth spurt and his length compared to Van der Poel's had been about equal as Van der Poel joined him in the U23 ranks in the 2013-2014 season. In the Superprestige, the overall title went to Van der Poel with four wins to three.^[19][20]

Races contested together

Year and category	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2013 Ronse	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2013 Cauberg	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2013 Tábor	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2013 Ruddervoorde	Van der Poel	Van Aert 8th
2013 Koppenberg	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2013 Hamme	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2013 Hasselt	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2013 Koksijde	Van der Poel	Van Aert 15th
2013 Essen	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2013 Namur	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2013 Zolder	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2013 Diegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2014 Baal	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2014 Rome	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2014 Nommay	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2014 Lille	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2013 Oostmalle	Van Aert	Van der Poel

UCI Men's Under-23 Cyclo-cross World Championships

Year and category	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2014 Under-23	Van Aert	Van der Poel

UEC Men's Under-23 Cyclo-cross European Championships

Year and category	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2013 U-23	Van der Poel	Van Aert 4th

Cyclo-cross World Cup

Wout van Aert (left) and Mathieu van der Poel (right) at the 2016 UCI Cyclocross World Cup. Valkenburg, Netherlands, 2016

.

Each of them won a round of the 2014-15 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup.^[21][22]Van Aert rode a full 2015-16 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup season, won the opening round in Las Vegas and secured the overall, while Van der Poel had a knee injury and had to skip the first two rounds. He did win the final four. The 2016-17 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup was again dominated by Van Aert, as again Van der Poel missed the opening rounds due to an injury. Van Aert won four of the rounds and the overall, Van der Poel won three of them.

In the 2017-18 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Van der Poel won the overall as he finally rode a complete season. He won seven rounds, Van Aert beat him in the other two. In 2018-2019 Van der Poel won all six rounds he attended, Van Aert won one, but neither of them won the overall as Toon Aerts had a consistent World Cup season and finished top-4 in all rounds which got him enough points to beat the Big 2.

In the 2019-20 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Van Aert was not fully recovered from his 2019 Tour de France crash and did not win a round, as Van der Poel won all five of the rounds he contested. Again Toon Aerts secured the overall. The 2020-21 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup season was shortened duo to the Covid pandemic. Van Aert rode all rounds as Van der Poel skipped the first one in Tabor. They both won two rounds, Van Aert won the overall for the third time. In 2021-2022 Van der Poel had a heavy back injury and did not win a round, Van Aert won two rounds. In the 2022-23 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Van Aert won again two rounds and Van der Poel five.

Van Aert	Total
World Cup wins	15
World Cup Overall series wins	3

Van der Poel	Total
World Cup wins	33
World Cup Overall series wins	1

Year and race	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2014 Koksijde	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2015 Hoogerheide	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2015 Koksijde	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2015 Namur	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2015 Zolder	Van der Poel	Van Aert 8th
2016 Lignières	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Hoogerheide	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Valkenburg	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Zeven	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Namur	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Zolder	Van Aert	Van der Poel 14th
2017 Las Vegas	Van der Poel	Van Aert 14th
2017 Iowa	Van der Poel	Van Aert 7th
2017 Koksijde	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Bogense	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Zeven	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2017 Namur	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2017 Zolder	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Nommay	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Hoogerheide	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Bern	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Tábor	Van der Poel	Van Aert 7th
2018 Koksijde	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Namur	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Zolder	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2019 Hoogerheide	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2020 Hoogerheide	Van der Poel	Van Aert 8th
2020 Namur	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2020 Dendermonde	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2021 Hulst	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2021 Overijse	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2021 Dendermonde	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2022 Antwerpen	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2022 Gavere	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2022 Zonhoven	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2023 Benidorm	Van der Poel	Van Aert

Cyclo-cross Superprestige

Van Aert	Total
Superprestige wins	12
Superprestige Overall series wins	1

Van der Poel	Total
Superprestige wins	30
Superprestige Overall series wins	4

Year and race	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2015 Hoogstraten	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2015 Middelkerke	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2015 Spa	Van Aert	Van der Poel 12th
2015 Diegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert 10th
2016 Hoogstraten	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Middelkerke	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Gieten	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Zonhoven	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Ruddervoorde	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Gavere	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Spa	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2016 Diegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Hoogstraten	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Middelkerke	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Gieten	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Zonhoven	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Boom	Van Aert	Van der Poel 4th
2017 Ruddervoorde	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Gavere	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2017 Diegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Hoogstraten	Van der Poel	Van Aert 6th
2018 Gieten	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Ruddervoorde	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Gavere	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Zonhoven	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Diegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert 5th
2020 Zolder	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2021 Zolder	Van Aert	Van der Poel DNF
2022 Zolder	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2022 Diegem	Van Aert	Van der Poel

Cyclo-cross Trofee

Van Aert raced a full Elite Trofee series in 2014-2015 and won it. Van der Poel did not contest a complete series.^[23][24]

Van Aert	Total
Trofee wins	22
Trofee Overall series wins	3

Van der Poel	Total
Trofee wins	27
Trofee Overall series wins	2

Year and race	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2014 Ronse	Van der Poel	Van Aert 7th
2014 Hamme	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2014 Loenhout	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2015 Lille	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2015 Hamme	Van Aert	Van der Poel 5th
2015 Essen	Van Aert	Van der Poel 8th
2015 Antwerpen	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2015 Loenhout	Van Aert	Van der Poel 7th
2016 Sint-Niklaas	Van Aert	Van der Poel 22nd
2016 Ronse	Van Aert	Van der Poel 4th
2016 Koppenberg	Van Aert	Van der Poel 15th
2016 Hamme	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Essen	Van Aert	Van der Poel 16th
2016 Antwerpen	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Loenhout	Van Aert	Van der Poel DNF
2017 Lille	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Ronse	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Koppenberg	Van der Poel	Van Aert 4th
2017 Hamme	Van der Poel	Van Aert 16th
2017 Antwerpen	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Loenhout	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Baal	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Lille	Van der Poel	Van Aert 8th
2018 Koppenberg	Van Aert	Van der Poel 21st
2018 Antwerpen	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Loenhout	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2019 Loenhout	Van der Poel	Van Aert 5th
2020 Herentals	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2021 Baal	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2021 Hamme	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2022 Herentals	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2022 Koksijde	Van Aert	Van der Poel

Other races

Van Aert	Total
Other wins	37 (including 3 World Championships titles and 5 Belgian Championships titles)

Van der Poel	Total
Other wins	59 (including 5 World Championships titles, 3 European Championships titles and 6 Dutch Championships titles)

Year and race	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2014 Mol	Van Aert	Van der Poel 4th
2015 Waregem	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2015 Eeklo	Van Aert	Van der Poel 5th
2015 Mol	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2016 Meulebeke	Van der Poel	Van Aert 9th
2016 Boom	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2016 Mol	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016 Overijse	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Otegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert 5th
2017 Maldegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert 4th
2017 Hulst	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Waregem	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2017 Leuven	Van der Poel	Van Aert 10th
2017 Eeklo	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Meulebeke	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Kruibeke	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2017 Bredene	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2018 Otegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Meulebeke	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018 Wachtebeke	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2019 Otegem	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2020 Zonnebeke	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2022 Mol	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2022 Loenhout	Van Aert	Van der Poel

UCI Men's Elite Cyclo-cross World Championships

The 2023 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Hoogerheide was decided in the last lap. Van der Poel outsmarted Van Aert by not sprinting after the barriers, but focussing on the final sprint. He made the first kick in the straight uphill and won in his backyard.

In all UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships – Men's elite races they both contested, one of them won the race.^[25][26]

Year and category	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2015	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2016	Van Aert	Van der Poel 5th
2017	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2018	Van Aert	Van der Poel
2019	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2020	Van der Poel	Van Aert 4th
2021	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2023	Van der Poel	Van Aert

UEC Men's Elite Cyclo-cross European Championships

Year and category	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2016	Van der Poel	Van Aert
2018	Van der Poel	Van Aert

Road

In the 2021 road race Van Aert was the leader of the Belgian team on homsesoil in Leuven while Remco Evenepoel worked in the leading group. He could not finish the job however and finished eleventh. Van der Poel did not have an ideal preparation after his Tokyo crash during the Cross-country cycling Olympics. He finished eight. In 2022 Van Aert had to sit back in the main peloton and took fourth place in the bunch sprint while Evenepoel soloed to victory in the leading group. Van der Poel had been in prison the night before the race after a hotel incident with some teenage girls and gave up early.

Before the 2023 race they both were the favourites because the course suited them and they both had a smooth preparation. In a war of attrition it was Van der Poel who rode away from the leaders including Van Aert and soloed to victory as Van Aert took the silver medal.

UCI Men's Elite Road Race World Championships

Year and category	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2021	Van der Poel 8th	Van Aert 11th
2022	Van Aert 4th	Van der Poel DNF
2023	Van der Poel	Van Aert

The 2018 European Road Championships in Glasgow were the first major international head-to-head battle between the pair. On a technical course Matteo Trentin won the sprint against silver medalist Van der Poel and bronze medalist Van Aert.

UEC Men's Elite Road Race European Championships

Year and category	Best placed rider	Lower placed rider
2018	Van der Poel	Van Aert

Monuments

Both Van Aert and Van der Poel have won the Monument Milan-San Remo. Van Aert was the first of them to do so in 2020. It remains his only Monument win. Three years later Van der Poel won the Primavera as well. Van Aert stood on the third spot of the podium twice too, Van der Poel once.

Milan-San Remo results timeline

Milan-San Remo	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Van Aert	6	1	3	8	3
Van der Poel	—	13	5	3	1

Only Van der Poel has managed to win the Tour of Flanders, which he achieved on two occasions, as well as finishing second twice. Van Aert has not won the Tour of Flanders, his best placement was second, after losing a sprint against Van der Poel in 2020.

Tour of Flanders results timeline

Tour of Flanders	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Van Aert	9	14	2	6	—	4
Van der Poel	—	4	1	2	1	2

Van Aert rode in five editions of Paris-Roubaix. His best results are a second place in 2022 and a third place in 2023, the last one after suffering a flat tire on the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Van der Poel won that edition after securing a third place in 2021.

Paris-Roubaix results timeline

Paris-Roubaix	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Van Aert	13	22	NH	7	2	3
Van der Poel	—	—	NH	3	9	1

Van der Poel rode Liège-Bastogne-Liège in the pandemic season 2020 after he won the 2020 BinckBank Tour queen stage and general classification the day before. He conquered a sixth place in his only attempt. Van Aert also rode Liège once, in 2022, after having to miss the 2022 Tour of Flanders due to a Covid infection. He managed to conquer a podium spot in his only attempt.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège results timeline

Liège-Bastogne-Liège	2020	2021	2022
Van Aert	—	—	3
Van der Poel	6	—	—

Only Van der Poel has ridden Il Lombardia, in the pandemic season 2020. He suffered on the long and steep Muro di Sormano and ended in tenth place. After this Top Ten place he also secured a sixth place in Liége, a 5th place in 2021 Milan-San Remo, a first and a second place in the Tour of Flanders and a third place at the 2021 Paris-Roubaix in 14 months, being the second fastest to Top Ten in all 5 Monuments. Only Eddy Merckx reached this milestone sooner, in 13 months.

Giro di Lombardia results timeline

Giro di Lombardia	2020
Van Aert	—
Van der Poel	10

Both Van Aert and Van der Poel won some of the major classics, including cycling Monument Milan-San Remo, the Strade Bianche and the Amstel Gold Race. The only stage race they both were victorious is the Tour of Britain and they both won one stage (Van der Poel) or multiple stages (Van Aert even won 9) in the Tour de France.

Road races both won

Year and winner	Race	Both in race
2020 Van Aert	Strade Bianche	Yes
2021 Van der Poel	Strade Bianche	Yes
2020, 2021 Van der Poel	Tirreno-Adriatico stages (3)	In 2021
2021 Van Aert	Tirreno-Adriatico stages (2)	Yes
2020 Milan-San Remo Van Aert	Milan-San Remo	Yes
2023 Van der Poel	Milan-San Remo	Yes
2019 Van der Poel	Amstel Gold Race	Yes
2021 Van Aert	Amstel Gold Race	No
2016 Van Aert	Tour of Belgium stage	No
2017, 2023 Van der Poel	Tour of Belgium stages (2)	In 2017
2014, 2018 Van der Poel	Ronde van Limburg	In 2014
2017 Van Aert	Ronde van Limburg	Yes
2018, 2020 Van der Poel	National Road Race Championships	No
2021 Van Aert	National Road Race Championships	No
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 Van Aert	Tour de France stages (9)	In 2022
2021 Van der Poel	Tour de France stage	Yes
2019 Van der Poel	Tour of Britain	No
2021, 2023 Van Aert	Tour of Britain	No

References